Redundant machines back in use thanks to donation to Hill Holt Wood

Unused woodwork and joinery equipment has been saved from becoming scrap metal and resurrected thanks to a donation from Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LPFT) to Hill Holt Wood.

The machines, previously used by the Trust’s joinery team, had been sitting dormant in a workshop unused for several years. The Estates Team decided that it was time to find a better home for the industrial saws, mortise machines, dust extraction system and other woodworking equipment, so they started looking at how to recycle or dispose of them in an environmentally friendly way.

The idea of gifting the equipment to Hill Holt Wood was brought to John Clarke, Associate Director of Estates and Facilities Management at LPFT by his daughter Amy, who is on a training programme with the social enterprise.

Hill Holt Wood offers a wide range of different services including education and training in woodland, countryside and forestry management. They also provide nature-based therapeutic services for people with mental health problems and learning disabilities.

John said:

We needed to clear our redundant workshop but we didn’t want to scrap all the machinery. We thought that there must be an organisation out there that can make good use of it. My daughter Amy suggested that we approach Hill Holt Wood and we are pleased that they were interested in taking the equipment off our hands and bringing it back to life in their workshop.Out Trust strongly believes in sustainability, helping people to recover from mental ill health and giving our service users purpose in life by learning new skills and getting into a work environment. Supporting Hill Holt Wood is a perfect fit with our vision, as their training programme benefits many young people locally, including my daughter.

Ben Wilson, Head Ranger at Hill Holt Wood said:

We are absolutely thrilled to receive this donation. The equipment from LPFT is of a higher industrial level to what we had before. It will be used as part of our educational programme with the young people. We will also use it in our sustainable design and alternative construction projects and for making products for sale, which help us fund our activities.

Sandy Chambers, Facilities and Waste Advisor was pleased that the redundant equipment didn’t go to waste and has been restored to its former glory.

Hill Holt Wood has an environmental philosophy that supports the sustainable use of natural materials and my job is all about managing waste and making sure we recycle and reuse what can be saved from landfill. It has been a real pleasure to see the Trust’s joinery machinery put to good use for the benefit of our local community.